When the chapter begins, Devon and Jon are putting away groceries and
chatting a bit. Jason is Mrs. Hardesty's butler, by the way. Also,
Devon is not complimentary about Jon's book, but she tells him it's
decent. Then, when he reaches over her to put something away, Jon's
sleeve brushes the top of Devon's head and her “whole body
tighten[s]”. Jon notices, runs his hand down her hair, and asks if
she's still running. She says nothing, he sighs, and moves to the
other side of the kitchen to put stuff away. Would you look at that?
There is a male character in this book who can accept a “no”. I
was beginning to wonder.
Devon thinks about how she's been remembering their “wrestling
match” almost incessantly and how it makes her uneasy. At the
time, she had wanted to know what it was like to have sex, but now
it's very uncomfortable to think that had happened the night after
Matt tried to rape her. I'm glad she's having these thoughts now.
Better late than never, I suppose. Jon speaks again, telling Devon
that she can't hide from herself forever, but when she still doesn't
respond, he changes the subject to his first open house that night.
He hints that she should make a cake for his gathering, and she
agrees to that if he'll make dinner. Jon mentions that the mayor
might be there and Devon says that she doesn't care about politics,
how all politicians never deliver on their promises, and that she
doesn't vote anyway. Apparently she's moved around too much to
register. They're saved from having a real discussion about this
because the phone rings.
Oh hey, Julie. Remember that deadbeat dad who left Devon and David
when Devon was eight? He had a gambling and a drinking problem, and
after he left, Mom worked two jobs to try to pay off his debts until
she died. Well, Aunt Eleanor offered to invite him to David's
wedding and Julie, thinking the aunt couldn't actually do it, told
her yes. Now he's coming to the wedding and David is super pissed.
Devon and Julie make a lunch date to talk out possible solutions and
Jon, curious, gets the story out of Devon. He offers to find out
more about Devon's dad, using political favors folks owe him, if
Devon will agree to wait to talk to her dad until after Jon's done
some digging. Also, Jon says that he'll talk to David about it
because David is more likely to listen to Jon than his sister. Ouch.
Deciding to accept Jon's help, Devon writes down her dad's name and
everything helpful she knows. That's certainly nice of Jon. He
seems to have changed significantly in the few days since the events
of last chapter.
Devon heads back to her adviser's office to show him her completed
application to grad school. He offers to put it in the mail for her
and she agrees. They start talking about Jon's book. Devon tells
her adviser, Doc, that it's pretty good and Doc replies that Jon said
she'd told him it put her to sleep. They talk about “tact”,
calling Jon by his first name, and watching out for him. Oh! The
reformed womanizer who finds that now there's a girl he can't get out
of his mind, to the exclusion of all others! And that desire to be
with her, and only her, makes him change! This must be a romance
novel.
Devon heads to her Modern Problems class, and isn't quite late.
Devon notices that the female half of the class moved into the first
few rows of seats. Then Matt sits next to her and says, “Hi, Dev.
Have you gotten over being mad yet?” Mad? After that comment, I'm
furious. Go away and never talk to a woman again until you can get
your shit under control. Devon replies that she's not mad, and that
she shouldn't have gone to his apartment. Well, he shouldn't have
tried to rape her. Matt asks if she wants to go to a jazz concert
with him and she says she's busy that night. Yeah, of course she
just looked at the fine arts calender. That must be why she knows
that. Not because she never wants to hang out with him ever again.
Matt says he can take a hint, but he'd still like to see her even if
she did “lead [him] on and then back out.” I'm glad Devon
finally defends herself here: “Lead you on? What in heaven's name
do you mean? All I did was come to your apartment to watch
television.” For real, though. Matt says it was clear to him, and
Devon begins to call him names (Finally! I would have done that days
ago!) when Jon asks them to stop talking so he can start the class.
Devon figures that Jon's been watching them since Matt came into
class and she's a little annoyed. What could Matt do in class
besides drag her out of it? In this chapter in particular, I'm just
struck by how naïve Devon is.
Anyway, then Jon shifts into teacher mode and sets everyone in the
class against each other, vehemently defending the problems on their
lists as the most important. This goes for the whole hour. Jon then
tells them to research their issues so they can argue them more
effectively for the next class, and to start thinking which one they
want to do for their midterm project. Matt offers to buy Devon
coffee; he wants to talk. I'm so glad Devon says no. Jon voluntells
Devon to collect the lists and, oh hey, since she's got them, she
should take them to Jon's office. Matt leaves and Devon says that
she'll see him later, which makes Jon think she's got another date
with Matt. This isn't true, but Devon lets him think it for some
reason. She instead contests that Jon doesn't own her. He says he
doesn't want to, that he'll be happy when she's no longer in his
class. The whole time, he kept “having all kinds of thoughts that
are not appropriate for the classroom.” Apparently, Devon has to
ask what kinds of thoughts those are. He just says how much he'd
like to kiss her, so I guess he's gotten his restraint back from
wherever he'd lost it. Oh, also, she would have been his number one
problem if he'd made a list.
He leaves before he can hear Devon's witty retort and she considers
not going to his office, but she's still got everyone's homework, so
she decides to put them on his desk and leave. Of course, she runs
into someone in the hall she has to talk to, so by the time she gets
to Jon's office, someone else is in there. It's Jon's dad, annoyed
that Jon is living with a floozy. He just wants Jon to be discreet
for the sake of his political career. Also, we learn that Jon
doesn't like the idea of getting married. Well, that's how both of
them feel. Wait a minute. This is just like in Moongate Wish:
“I never want to get married! Ever!” “Me neither!” “But
you're pretty great.” “So are you.” “Let's get married!”
“Okay!” Oh, I guess those were spoilers. Oh well. Also, Jon's
negative attitude toward marriage might have something to do with the
arrangement his dad suggests: get married to someone who will be cool
with you having affairs, then have a plethora of affairs. Just don't
be a swinging bachelor. It isn't respectable. What was the
definition of irony, again?
Anyway, Devon leaves and once Jon gets home, he asks why she didn't
go to his office. He explains a bit about his father. When he was
twelve, his mom caught his dad with one of the upstairs maids. They
didn't get a divorce because money and the things it can buy. They
only talk about once a month and seem to have an open relationship.
Therefore, Jon believes that the idea of love lasting forever is a
fairy tale. Also, his dad didn't have a political career because he
was making money so Jon could. Living vicariously through your kids
is a huge burden to place on them. Anyway, Jon declares that he's
going to take a shower and asks if Devon wants to join him. She
declines. After he's left, she thinks about calling him on his
bluff, but realizes it probably isn't a bluff. No, Devon, he really
is serious. How many times does he have to tell you that before you
understand?
Anyway, I think the next chapter will have... Jon finding out
something surprising and possibly validating about Devon's dad, Matt
will continue to be an asshole (hopefully one who doesn't make it
onto the page), and Devon will eat an entire watermelon.
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